Al-Qasas (The Stories)

80. “And those who were given (true) knowledge said: ‘Woe to you! Allah’s reward is better for him who believes and acts righteously, and none shall attain it save the patient’.”

The real knowledge draws man towards Hereafter, piety, and righteous deed. An aware learned man is he whom the dazzling glare of the world might not attract, and his manner can advise the mammonist ones and affect them.

However, besides this large group of mammonist, whom were referred to in the previous verse, there were also several learned, thoughtful, pious, and faithful people present there whose level of thought was above and superior than these affairs.

Those were some men who did not estimate the personality of their people with the criterion of gold and force. They were those who did not seek the values in the material potentialities, and always used to laugh at these kinds of exhibitions mockingly, and belittled these empty minds.

Yes, a group of such men attended there, as the Qur’an says:

“And those who were given (true) knowledge said: ‘Woe to you! Allah’s reward is better for him who believes and acts righteously…”

Then, they added:

“…and none shall attain it save the patient’.”

Those who prove steadfastness against exiting dazzling glare of the ornaments of the world; those who stand firm like mountains in the Divine trials for wealth, property, fear, and calamity, yes these ones are eligible for the Divine rewards.

It is certain that the purpose of the Qur’anic phrase:

“Those who were given (true) knowledge”

is the faithful learned men of the Children of Israel among whom there were some great men such as ‘Yusha‘’.

It is interesting that against the Qur’anic sentence:

“Those who aspired for the life of this world”,

mentioned in the previous verse, about the first group, the Qur’an does not apply the sentence:

“Those who aspired for the life of Hereafter”,

but it emphasizes only on ‘knowledge’, because ‘knowledge’ is the main origin and root of faith, steadfastness, eager and love to the Divine reward, and the abode of Hereafter.

By the way, the application of the sentence:

“Those who were given (true) knowledge”

is a severe answer to Korah who considered himself a knowledgeable one. The Qur’an implies that these are true knowledgeable whose level of thought is very high, not the arrogant, obstinate and proud Korah. Thus, we see that the origin and root of all blessings and bounties returns to real knowledge.